About

HISTORY OF THE TRUST

OUR AIMS

OUR ETHOS

OUR THERAPISTS

OUR SUPPORTERS/DONORS

The Trust was named in honor of Otakar Kraus OBE, an opera singer and celebrated voice teacher, whose career embraced the world’s greatest opera houses. His pupils included Matthew Best, Gwynne Howell, Robert Lloyd, Jonathan Summers, Sir John Tomlinson and Willard White. Otakar Kraus helped Margaret, also an opera singer, to recover her voice after it was damaged through an illness which partly paralyzed her vocal cords. Margaret thereafter trained as a Music Therapist and inspired by her own experience, founded OKMT in order to help those with communication or other difficulties.
Dr. Margaret Lobo , FRSA, is the founder and Director of the Otakar Kraus Music Trust (OKMT), The Music Therapy Trust (TMTT) in India and The Music Therapy Trust Nepal (TMTTN). She qualified at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1987, is a fully registered member of the UK Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the British Association of Music Therapists (BAMT). Margaret is one of the named mentors for the ‘ASHA Foundation, “Inspirational Women From Around the World” and in 2003 was nominated for the Beacon prize for her philanthropic work. Her endeavours were recognised in 2007 by the award of a Fellowship from the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA). In 2010 Margaret was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Middlesex University for her major contribution to the community in the UK, India and Nepal in the field of Health and Social Sciences. Margaret has had numerous articles published both nationally and locally and is a regular broadcaster. She featured in the BBC film “The Power of Music” narrated by Sir Paul McCartney, in documentaries for MTV TV, on BBC radio.
She welcomed everyone including those who had difficulties psychological or physical in communicating and were considered beyond reach. The inspiration for all OKMT’s diverse projects has come from consulting and working with parents, children and local organisations to meet the needs in the local community.
In 1993 Margaret Lobo and her husband Walter built an accessible Music Studio in their garden in Twickenham equipped with piano, instruments, recording equipment, a viewing room, wheelchair access and disabled toilet. The Studio is now in use full-time and the Trust has expanded to work in many outreach projects in the local community
Margaret Lobo introduced clinical music therapy to India in 2005 founding The Music Therapy Trust and to Nepal in 2010, where she set up The Music Therapy Trust Nepal.
In 2010 Margaret was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Middlesex University for her major contribution to the community in the field of Health & Social Sciences.

to build partnerships to increase the provision of music therapy in the community

to improve awareness of disability and the benefits which music therapy can bring

to provide lasting benefits to hundreds of children and adults who are marginalised due to communication difficulties, disability or poverty, irrespective of their gender, economic status, race or religion.

We listen to the wants and needs of our collaborative partners, clients, families, parents and carers; learn from their proposals and then act upon them. From their feedback and our own observation, we have introduced programmes such as:

We also respond to need in the community, working with NGO’s and Schools to help children with additional needs

Organisations working to help people with mental health problems,

Neurological conditions

Elderly people with memory problems, isolation and depression.

Nina Cherla is a Senior Clinical Music Therapist of The Music Therapy Trust (TMTT) in Gurgaon, India. She graduated from the University of South Wales (USW) with an M.A. in Music Therapy, having written her dissertation on the role of singing in the rehabilitation of individuals with Aphasia. Her professional experience includes a decade of work in public healthcare as a care worker for individuals with special needs in Malmö, Sweden. She is also a musician and has released two albums and performed at various venues in Sweden, India and the UK. With a unique blend of expertise in healthcare and the arts, Nina oversees the operations of TMTT at Continua Kids (Centre of Neurotherapy In Uniquely-Abled Kids) in Gurgaon, India. In her clinical role, she carries out music therapy sessions with special needs children and works in collaboration with the pediatric health practitioners at Continua Kids. Nina has also worked in India in the past before joining TMTT. More recently following her graduation from USW, she offered her services as Music Therapist at Asha Hospital, Zeba Basheruddin Centre for Healthy Aging, and Music as Therapy International working with special needs children and the elderly affected by dementia.

Elena Konstantinidi has recently qualified as a music therapist from Anglia Ruskin University in the UK. Elena is originally from Cyprus, and before moving to India she lived in the United Kingdom for five years, where she also completed her Bachelor’s degree in Music at King’s College London. During her training, Elena has worked with children with physical and learning difficulties. She has also worked in a palliative care hospice, where she took the initiative to organise and introduce music therapy sessions. During this time she was also involved in managing workshops for the staff and volunteers. Her final thesis considered the different ways in which adults and children use songs in the setting of music therapy. Additionally, Elena has a particular interest in research and has worked as a research assistant at Anglia Ruskin University in projects focusing on music therapy and dementia, as well as, acting as an administrator for the International Music Therapy Research Consortium.

Jose Alor has recently joined TMTT as a music therapist. He is a highly skilled professional musician who has been musically active since a young age. After completing his bachelor’s degree in violin performance at the Royal Conservatory of Music of Madrid (RCSMM), he moved to the UK to study his master’s degree in Music Therapy at Nordoff Robbins Centre in London. He has worked for Nordoff Robbins as a music therapist in a wide range of settings including care homes, hospitals, schools as well as direct referrals at the centre. Over the years Jose has also worked as a violinist in various Symphony Orchestras all over Spain as well as collaborated with groups for chorus, pop and folk music. Alongside his musical and music therapy career, he developed a great passion for teaching music to a wide range of people. Jose is now very much looking forward to bringing all these experiences to his new role as music therapist with TMTT in India and embrace this new step in his career.